Quest
by DroganNiteflier
Summary: An Explanation on the Beggining


Disclaimate: Ranma doesn't belong to me. Trust me.  
  
Quest: Prologue  
  
Chronicled by Dro'gan, called NiteFlier  
  
The young man sighed as he carried the cord of wood back to his home. The marketplace of Willowsby had been extra busy this autumn, for the weather mages had speculated that the coming winter was going to be an especially hard one. His adoptive parents would not have a hard time bringing in money for the large family. He turned off the main street of the city and wound his way through the decreasing traffic to the three story building that was his home.  
  
He stopped for a moment to look at the sign hanging out above the main door. The expertly painted eye seemed to follow his every movement, no matter how he jigged his steps. He sighed, and entered the shop.  
  
The gilt and incense ground on his nerves, but it was necessary for the environment that housed the magic shop. The front room held dusty scrolls and minor magical items, and one peculiar suit of full plate armor that he had never gotten the feeling of. He strolled past the counter and on to the back room, where the pentagram inscribed on the floor glowed softly.  
  
This room trilled with the arcane, and the few pieces of real magic he shied away from as he moved around the circle of power surrounding the figure on the floor. He rushed up the stairs in back, once again relieved to be away from any enchantments at all. He already had enough to deal with.  
  
He reached the second floor and maneuvered into the kitchen, setting down wood next to stove. At the small preparation table sat his adopted brother, the younger man just now getting blond stubble on his chin. Spread before him were several books and scrolls.  
  
"Well," said the older of the two. "Seems like that package you were waiting for finally arrived. What's in it?"  
  
The man sitting at the table beamed at him. "It's from F.A.! He finally sent it!"  
  
The other smirked and wandered over to the table, picking up a letter that lay on top of on of the books. "Eh, so 'e did." He read the document more thoroughly. "Waitaminnit. He sent you all three?! I thought that that he was supposed to only send you one!"  
  
The blond man looked sheepish. "Well, I, uh, I kind of..."  
  
"Spit it out, bro. I can't stand it when you stutter like that."  
  
Giving another sheepish grin, he produced two more letters, and handed them to his brother. The standing man looked over them as well, and sighed as he saw his own name on one, and their elder brother's name on the other. "You sent in for all three of us. Why'd you do that, bro?"  
  
The blond man sighed. "I just couldn't decide! I mean, all three are really neat, right? I didn't think you'd mind, and I did get Samson's permission to use his name. He already knows what he's going to do in his life!"  
  
He gave a short laugh. "Yeah, but why not give him the magic, huh? You know I hate the stuff. You gave him something that he doesn't like."  
  
"Well, uh, it just seemed like the right thing to do, you know, give us each something we're not good at. Samson could never be a thief, you despise magic, and I'm, well..."  
  
"Scrawny." The elder brother gave the younger a light tap on the shoulder. "Told you that you needed to work out more. You want to start with me in the mornings?"  
  
The younger shuddered. "No! You'd cream me in a minute."  
  
"Maybe so, but even a magic user has ta have some muscles. Look at Sampson! He's got more brawn than you, and he's the one who's planning to take over the shop from mom and dad!"  
  
"Well, yeah, I guess. But don't you think just throwing me in with you will be painful?"  
  
The elder snorted. "Everything in life either costs something, or isn't worth anything. Whatzis saying, something about food. Yeah, There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch! Everything comes with a price tag bro, ya just need to know when the price is too high."  
  
The younger slumped in his chair. "Yeah, I guess you're right. But which on should I choose?"  
  
The elder shook his head. "It don't matter what you choose as long as you get out there and start adventuring!"  
  
"But I..."  
  
"Hey! I'll make you a deal."  
  
The blond man looked up, "Yeah?"  
  
The elder hesitated. "What the hell. You choose a place to adventure too. I'll go another place. We meet up here in a few years and regal each other with tales of might. Sound like a plan?"  
  
The younger man leaped up, his confidence restored. "Sure! That sounds great! I guess I'll choose—"  
  
"—Something very quickly." The two men turned to the new speaker. The woman wore the robes of a mage, and a smile graced her face. "I'm glad to see that the two of you are finally getting out of here. I was afraid that I would have to cast a Wandering Foot spell on each of you to get you out of here!" The smile grew broader as she watched the two young men groan. "But I'm very pleased that you two decided on your own. Now then, you'd best clear off the table if I'm to make dinner tonight, son." The blond man quickly picked up his mess and cleared out of the kitchen. The woman turned to her adopted son. "My boy, I am sorry to tell you that no matter how your feet roam, they will not take you where you wish most to be. I'm sorry that we could not send you home."  
  
"Aw, mom... It just fits my life. Any sorta magic just goes wrong when it comes to me."  
  
"I know, my son, that your previous experiences with magic have not been favorable, but you must remember that you have a great talent for many things, including magic. I can see you as an expert fighter, an unsurpassed thief, or even the greatest sorcerer that this world has ever known. All you must do is achieve the goals that you set for yourself, something that I know you do very well. Be careful on your journey, and we shall look to your return on the midyear's solstice in three years."  
  
The young man and the older mage embraced, and the boy ran to prepare for his voyage.  
  
The woman smiled, and prayed for both her son's safety.  
  
"May you learn every lesson that life gifts to you my son, and may your luck never fail you, Ranma." 


End file.
